DA says pigeon racing still banned in PH amid continued threats of bird flu

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MANILA, Philippines — Pigeon racing is still banned in the country due to the continued threat of bird flu, said the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).

Bird flu, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), is a fatal and contagious virus among birds, especially chickens.

The Philippines has recently detected new active cases of bird flu in some parts of Luzon and Mindanao.

“Kaugnay ng mga kaso ng [HPAI] o bird flu sa Pilipinas, hindi pa maaaring alisin ang pagbabawal sa pagkarera ng mga kalapati,” BAI said in an advisory on Wednesday.

(Because of the HPAI or bird flu cases in the Philippines, we still cannot remove the current ban on pigeon racing.)

It also cited the Memorandum Circular No. 27 series of 2022, which allows up to 10 pigeons to take flight only if they comply with the following conditions:

• Have a veterinary health certificate at Newcastle disease vaccination
• Test negative for the avian influenza test

“Ito ay para matugunan ang pangangailangan ng breeding at transfer ng mga kalapati,” BAI explained.

(This is to address the needs in breeding and transferring pigeons.)

It also assured its continuous efforts to assess the possible risks and ensure the health and safety of birds in the country, in line to attain food security.

It was earlier reported that 133,160 birds died from the virus, while 286,934 others have been culled.

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